This invention relates to devices and methods for contacting water with a hot reaction mass to produce an explosive reaction.
Conventional chemical explosives are frequently sensitive to heat and impact, and when they burn inadvertently, as in a fire, they generally yield toxic fumes. Consequently, these conventional explosives require special handling and storage precautions.
A phenomenon of considerable industrial importance in recent years is the vapor explosion, often referred to as a thermal or steam explosion. This phenomenon results from the extremely rapid heat transfer from hot liquid (e.g., molten metal) to cold liquid (e.g., water) when the two are contacted together. Sporadic explosions resulting from this phenomenon have been responsible for loss of life and property in industry for a number of years, and efforts have been made to understand the extreme violence of these interactions. It is not presently known exactly how these explosions are initiated. However, resultant effects of these interactions are dramatic, and substantial amounts of energy are released during such explosions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,409 to Rozner et al, which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a steam or water vapor explosive device which comprises a metal liner selected from aluminum, magnesium, copper, and brass enclosing a water chamber, with a pyrotechnic material surrounding the liner. The pyrotechnic material is composed of a mixture of powders of nickel, metal oxide, and an aluminum containing component which may be from 50 to 100 weight percent of aluminum and from zero to 50 weight percent of another metal selected from magnesium, zirconium, bismuth, beryllium, boron, tantalum, copper, silver, niobium, or mixtures thereof. A steam or vapor explosion is initiated by the flowing contact of the molten pyrotechnic reaction products and liner with water.
U.S. Statutory Invention Registration No. H464 to Lee et al, which is hereby incorporated by reference, relates to an explosive device comprising a liquid chamber and a pyrotechnic material chamber separated from each other by a fusible metal wall. The material contained within the pyrotechnic chamber comprises a mixture of magnesium nickel alloy hydride and an oxidizer selected from CuO, Li.sub.2 O.sub.2, and BaO.sub.2, while the liquid preferably comprises water. In operation, the pyrotechnic material is ignited, destroying the fusible metal wall and ejecting molten metal into the liquid chamber which results in a violent vapor explosion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,080 to West et al, which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a composite explosive comprising conventional explosive material intimately mixed with a mixture of boron and another metal capable of exothermically reacting with boron. The conventional explosive material preferably comprises 30 to 70 weight percent of said composite explosive and may include trinitrotoluene (TNT), cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), and/or cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX). The boron containing component includes a metal such as lithium, titanium, hafnium, zirconium, tantalum, or uranium which reacts exothermically with the boron to form intermetallic particles. Preferably, the boron and reactive metal are provided as granules or pellets which are mixed or encapsulated within the conventional explosive material. In operation, the conventional explosive produces a blast or shock wave and initiates an exothermic reaction of the boron and metal mixture to form a mass or cloud of hot or molten intermetallic particles surrounding the explosion. Thus, the composite explosive embraces the destructive properties of the conventional explosive material and the thermal properties of the intermetallic particles. West et al disclose that the intermetallic particles may interact with the ambient environment to cause burning and cratering. However, the reference does not teach the formation of large volumes of hydrogen containing gas and, in fact, teaches that the formation of gas is undesirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,884 to White et al, which is hereby incorporated by reference, relates to an underwater explosive device comprising a charge such as lithium which explosively reacts with water, and a high explosive material such as PETN placed in such a manner so as to disperse the lithium charge into the surrounding water. Upon detonation, molten lithium reacts with the surrounding water to produce a hydrogen gas bubble which acts to inflict damage upon underwater structures. The lithium is not heated autogeneously by a chemical reaction, but rather is heated indirectly by the high explosive.